Tasting Notes are up!

The following tasting notes were taken during our visit to Bordeaux April 2-7. None of the tasting were blind and most occurred at the individual Chateau or at one of the UGC tastings. The notes were written by Mike Supple and myself (Shaun Bishop). In all, we tasted about 100 wines a day, but have only posted notes on about half. We will add additional notes in the coming days, including some from Le Pin and Vieux Chateau Certan among others.

The 2005 vintage in Bordeaux was characterized by exceptional climate. The winter was colder than average which caused the buds to break a bit earlier. Then, a hot, sunny spring brought about even vegetation growth which led to a quick flowering. The summer saw only four inches of rain between May 1 and harvest – that is about half the average of the past 30 years. Unlike 2003, the weather was not extremely hot…just very dry. All this lead to very consistent quality across all the appellations as well as up and down the tiers of the various Chateaus, making for especially great buys in the lower levels. In addition, the second labels of many of the top Chateaus will prove to be terrific wines at reasonable prices. What the splendid weather conditions did for the wines was give them slightly higher alcohols (Chateau Margaux saw record alcohol levels of up to 15.5% in their Merlot), high tannins, crisp acidity as well as high pH. The end result is total harmony - rich wines that are in balance with a degree of freshness.

As for the individual wines, Cheval Blanc, Ausone and Margaux were simply stunning and at this point, one of these is the candidate for wine of the vintage. There were other wines that you might ‘expect’ to be in the top tier and then there were a few ‘upside surprises’, such as Smith-Haut-Lafitte, La Tour Figeac, Pichon Longueville Baron, Trotanoy, Malescot St-Exupery, Grand Mayne, Larcis Ducasse, Chauvin, Clos Fourtet, Haut Bergey, and Larrivet Haut Brion to mention a few. All in all, there was terrific quality across the board with a slight bias toward the Right Bank.

Click here to read all the tasting notes for each of the wines sampled during this week!

Apirl 4 - Dinner at Pavie with Gerard Perse

Our visit to Chateau Pavie and with its owner Gerard Perse is one that I feel you really need to read. Because many of our customers buy the various wines of Perse, and Robert Parker speaks so highly about this man and his operation, I needed to see for myself. What was it about this controversial operation that made it possible to create wines of such quality?

First, some background: Gerard and his wife Chantal purchased Monbousquet in 1993, Pavie Decesse in 1997, and then Pavie in 1998 for $31 million. Gerard was a self-made millionaire who had previously sold two very successful supermarket chains in order to pursue his dream of making wine in St. Emilion. Since their purchase, the Perse family has been considered somewhat of an outsider who has yet to be ‘accepted’ by their neighbors, but has strived to make the best possible wine.

After the tasting of all of his ’05 wines: Pavie, Pavie-Decesse, Bellevue-Mondotte, Monbousquet, Clos l’Eglise, Clos les Lunelles, and Saint-Colombes, we were given a tour by Gerard’s son in law, Henrique Da Costa, a former banker from Paris who now manages the finances of all the vineyard operations. This is when it first became obvious to me that Gerard has spared no expense and has paid attention to all the details. Pavie is an immaculate estate, not in size but in design and upkeep. The old fermentation cellar of 1923 has given way to twenty temperature-controlled wooden vats, which enable them to adapt to the potential of the harvest. The quarries have been replaced by a new ageing cellar, probably the most modern in Bordeaux. Gerard brought in thirty foot high limestone arches from the old Bordeaux train station and placed them in the cellar – truly a sight to be seen. At various places in the cellar, there are small buttons in the ground that one can push down with the foot and a small light will illuminate out of the hand railing to allow you to see the color and clarity of the wine in your glass. There is very faint classical music playing in the background throughout the winery, whether you are in the tasting room or down in the cellar. All the oak barrels are 100% new and are sourced from five coopers, most of them from the Sylvain tonnelliere with every barrel treated with a minimum three year drying period. The vineyard is rigorously pruned; six buds for old vines and two buds for young vines as well as extensive green harvesting in the summer months, leading to yields of 30 hectoliters per hectare (down from 55). In addition, Gerard has installed a new drainage system in the vineyards where there is little slope and significant clay – I cannot imagine the expense!

In addition, let’s not forget why Gerard chose this incredible piece of property: meager soil, excellent south-facing sun exposure, good drainage, and a topography that is naturally frost-resistant as it is shielded from the north winds. Last but not least, Gerard bought a property that has an incredible history, going back to the fourth century, when it, along with Ausone was first in St. Emilion to plant vineyards. It’s also no surprise that Gerard chose to purchase his property in St. Emilion, as it is far and away the most beautiful region in Bordeaux.

Next we took a walk to the top of the hill where we could see the individual vineyard plots of Pavie, Pavie Decesse, and Bellevue Mondotte as well as Monbousquet which is a couple of kilometers down the road and not connected to the rest.

After, we drove down to the family home of the Perse’s – Chateau Monbousquet. What a beautiful property! The immaculate lawn in front of the residence is perfectly manicured and not a weed to be seen. We sat down in the family room and enjoyed good conversation with a ’90 Laurent Perrier Grand Siecle and hors d’oevres.

At this point it already became clear to me that Gerard is a total perfectionist driven to succeed at any cost. He is a former champion cyclist (he met his wife Chantal when she was the one who crowned him the winner of a race with a big bouquet of flowers). His competitive spirit continued with him as he founded not one, but two, supermarket chains. It was difficult not to notice the purist attitude in Gerard as he spoke to us. Every question had to be answered in full, perhaps even repeated in case he missed a small detail. He talks very fast, mostly in French, and tends to dominate a conversation. He has a tanned complexion, blue eyes, and hair that is perfectly coifed with all strands in place. He looks ten years younger than he is, as he is in excellent shape. Every day he bicycles 80 km. He doesn’t miss a beat as he talks on the cell phone while riding. As confirmed by his negociant, deals have been struck while he is riding the back roads of St. Emilion. Even in the winter time, he rides a stationary bike with a computer at his fingertips allowing him to do some work at the same time.

At the dinner table, Gerard can barely sit still, as he is repositioning his silverware so that it sits just in the right place. He gathers up each of the tiny breadcrumbs with his knife and moves them into a straight line. His plates are spotless after each course.

As it turns out, the Perse’s also own the finest hotel and restaurant in St. Emilion, if not in all of Bordeaux, called Hostellerie de Plaisance. Their chef, although he is a former boxer, was crowned chef of the year in 2004. This was the same chef that Pierre Lurton from time to time ‘gets to borrow’ who made us lunch when we were at Cheval Blanc earlier in the day.

The dinner began with the first course of foie gras lasagna. This four inch square lasagna/ravioli had a center of foie gras that was surrounded by wild mushrooms on the inside and topped with shaved truffles. And the sauce was incredible. With this sublime dish we were served the ’01 Monbousquet Blanc. Next was the duck dish served with the ’98 Monbousquet. Lots of black berries here, along with notes spices and oak. Nice velvety texture and plenty of life left in this jammy offering. The sauce for this dish had been reduced for 48 hours! (Not even sure how this is possible?). It was flavored with honey, orange, and Thai spices. Next we were served the ’00 Pavie. Although this wine was young, powerful, and full-bodied, it was also very elegant and soft. Lots of blackberries and cassis with beautiful notes of violet flowers. Gerard says it has another 30 years of life…maybe more. Next came the cheese course followed by a chocolate dessert. At this point, Gerard asks who would like an after dinner drink with a cigar. Rather than bringing out one bottle, he brings out a ’49 and a ’55 Armagnac, a Hennessy Paradis Cognac, a Calvados, and a pear liqueur.

During our conversation, Gerard confirmed that when they purchased the Monbousquet property, they had no other plans to buy other vineyards. At that time, it was very difficult for this family from Paris to ‘fit in’ to the community to begin with. Chantal said that it is really just now that they feel as if they’re accepted in the town. I cannot imagine that while they were feeling very ‘unwelcome’, Gerard decided to purchase Pavie as well and take on a whole other animal. As Chantal said herself, ‘sometimes he gets a little greedy and simply can’t help himself.’

Is there any doubt that the wines of Gerard Perse will not continue to be world class and even set the standard for others to try to achieve? He has elevated the quality of those around him and I believe, to some extent, helped begin a higher level of winemaking for all of St. Emilion that may not be surpassed by other regions, at least in the short run. On this trip I have met with about a hundred of the top Chateau directors/proprietors and Gerard is in a race for perfection…all on his own. I think Bordeaux has a lot to be thankful for that someone like Gerard is pushing the winemaking envelope.

April 4 - Lunch at Cheval Blanc

Today we had lunch at Cheval Blanc with Pierre Lurton, Director of Cheval Blanc as well as Chateau d’Yquem (the only director in Bordeaux to oversee two first growths). As you might expect…this was another worldly experience. After tasting the ’05 Cheval as well as the ’05 Petit Cheval with the young winemaker, Olivier Berrouet, we were led on a tour of the facilities.

Once inside the Chateau, we were joined by Bruce Schoenfeld, a contributing editor for Wine Spectator, and then greeted by Pierre Lurton. I think it’s important to give you an idea of what this man is like. Pierre comes from the famous Lurton family, one of Bordeaux’s most influential dynasties. If you can imagine one of those fancy paintings from the 1800’s of some famous aristocrat – that is Pierre. He is the center of attention, has an air about him that is magnetic, is extremely arrogant but polite, has no mercy for the not so fortunate, and is someone whose path you probably do not want to cross unless you are in to self-destruction, public humiliation, or that sort of thing. Having said that, I have to say…I genuinely liked the guy. He was a character like nobody I had ever expected to meet in person – outside a character in a Marcel Proust novel. He just plays the role like no one else can and he clearly will do whatever he can to stay on top.

Now for the lunch…We started with a ’90 Ruinart Blanc de Blanc along with beautifully presented hors d’oeuvres. The chef today was the famous Philippe Etchebest, who won chef of the year in France last year. My, oh my was this going to be a treat. I was seated next to Olivier, a fun loving guy, who’s the son of the famous Jean Claude Berrouet, the longtime oenologist at Petrus. By the way, Olivier now visits California four times a year in order to be more involved in Newton Vineyards, another property of LVMH.

We were served the ’00 Le Petit Cheval with the first course of ‘Cubism of Duck three ways’: smoked foie gras, herb salad, and a confit of duck. This was a wine of wonderful elegance and soft velvety texture, with notes of cab franc perfume. Then came the ’96 and ’86 Cheval Blanc. The ’96 had a medium body and a gorgeous nose of eucalyptus and mint while the ’86 was a more powerful wine, although elegant as well. Notes of cherry and plum, with undertones of tobacco and cedar.

We talked a bit about the ’05 futures prices and Pierre revealed very little…just that ‘I will let the others go first’ (meaning that he will let the other Chateaux release their wines first to set the price). As for the ’05 Cheval, Pierre said it has more sweetness and is fatter relative to the ’00. It’s a classic vintage, where the merlot is not overripe and the Franc is complex. As for wines to drink today, Pierre likes the ’83, ’85, and ’89. The second course of (in French) ‘Lotte petit bateau et les premiers legumes en cocotte luttee, jus de viande et beurre brun’ was accompanied by the ’86 Cheval Blanc.

Before we were served our dessert of strawberries three ways, Pierre accidentally breaks his Riedel wine glass on the table. He is left holding the top three inches of the stem and bowl – the rest of the stem is on the table! Of course Pierre thinks it’s hilarious and says “Aahh, look, I’ve invented a new glass!” (Not quite, as it resembles the ‘O’ glass by Riedel). He calls over one of his staff and the man says to Pierre “You drink all day!” Pierre laughs…as do the rest of us.

April 3 - Dinner at Leoville Las Cases

We were greeted by Jean-Hubert Delon at the main chateau where we tasted the ‘05s (Foque de Nenin, Nenin, Chapelle de Potensac, Potensac, Clos du Marquis, and Leoville Las Cases). We then walked across the street to his house, where we sat down in some very comfortable sofas and chairs. Jean-Hubert sank deep down and put his feet up as he immediately began to smoke his ‘Neos Extra’ cigar. He also brought out his three inch thick book of wines of his cellar, and asked us to pick any wine we wanted! There were hundreds of wines, including Petrus and DRC and a selection of Leoville Las Cases going back to 1900. He asked that one person pick the wine and the rest of us would then guess the selection. Well…if we must!

The dinner began with a home cooked tray of vegetables, including a delicious dish of cauliflower with (lots of) garlic, served with the first blind wine. My guess was a ’96 Puligny Montrachet. Jean-Hubert would not give us any clues, but after all guesses were in, it was revealed to be a ’99 Drouhin Corton Charlemagne. Jean-Hubert said that the way he tries to guess is to first attempt to identify the vintage, then the grape varietal, then the producer, and then the region. He says it’s easier to guess the producer than the region (at least for Burgundy) as the producer’s winemaking tends to be consistent across the different appellations of Burgundy.

Next came the duck, served with potatoes and parsnips. It was so good that everyone had seconds, except for Jean-Hubert who had thirds. With this course, Jean-Hubert served the wine that was picked by one of us as well as four other wines. His two chefs/servers poured three wines at the same time (to help give us some reference, as they were served blind). For once, the table agreed on one thing…the wines had been poured in order of age, from oldest to newest. As it turned out, we were completely wrong – they were served in order of vintage…but in reverse order. The youngest wine was the ’89 Clos du Marquis, followed by the ’85 Las Cases, and the ’82 Las Cases. Jean-Hubert said his style is a wine like the ’85: A wine with elegance and characteristic of the vintage with some personality. In addition, he prefers the ’86 to the ’00 and ’05, which he thinks is too powerful. He always takes what nature gives and doesn’t want to make something into what it’s not.

Next came the ’75 Las Cases, served with the cheese course, followed by the ’66 Las Cases with dessert. The evening was topped off with a cappuccino and ‘Neos Extra’ cigars.

WOW.

It was now almost midnight and we said our goodbyes. Jean-Hubert walked us out to our car. Tonight he had given me a true taste of Bordeaux hospitality. Jean-Hubert is a simple man with incredible generosity and kindness. A visit never to be forgotten…

April 4 - Lunch at Pichon Longueville

Today’s lunch was at Pichon Longueville (Baron) with the Director, Christian Seely. What a terrific tasting. I cannot reiterate how well these’05’s are showing. Please refer to the complete set of tasting notes, but in short I thought the ’05 Pichon Longueville was a beauty. Very complex, spicy offering with notes of truffles, espresso, and a very long finish. Probably 94-96 points.

Since Christian came on board in ’00, he has really made a big commitment to quality with a long term vision that fits well with insurance company AXA Millesimes. He has the financial backing to afford the long term outlook and therefore can make qualitative improvements like cutting yields and replanting vineyards, as well as other expensive improvements throughout the winemaking process. For example, Christian says that the Chateau is now producing 220,000 bottles versus 360,000 bottles in the 90’s. Of the 70 hectares of the estate, only 40 hectares make it into the main label and the rest are for the Les Tourelles label.

Along with the main Estate, Christian oversees Le Petit Village, a property in Pomerol. Again, there is a renewed commitment to quality here. In 2004, 20% of the vineyard was torn out so that is could be properly replanted in order to create more consistency. Christian, in his own words, is ‘paying more attention to Petit Village’…and it shows.

After our tasting of the ’05, ’04, ’03, ’02, ’01, and ’00 Pichon Longueville as well as a few of the Petit Village, Suduiraut, S de Suduiraut, and Pibran, we proceeded to lunch at the chateau, a beautifully prepared meal accompanied by equally stunning wines. We started with the ’93 Laurent Perrier Brut – very delicate and fresh, with nice notes of citrus and minerals. With the first course of Cod with peppers and diced spicy sausage, we had the ’04 ‘S’ de Suduiraut (Suduiraut’s dry white wine). Medium-bodied, it was quite round and rich with notes of apple and vanilla. Next we had duck in a reduction with chorizo along with mashed potatoes and green beans. This was paired with the ’98 Petit Village and then the ’89 Pichon Baron. With cheese and dessert we had the ’62 Quinta do Noval Nacional, where Christian has been the Director since 1994. Wow, what a treat! This was served blind and most of us guessed it was a ’70 or ’77, or even an ’85…but certainly not the ’62. This was a baby! A medium light ruby color, it was full-bodied, with rich fruit flavors and silky tannins. Christian says they only have 82 bottles left (that is…after we drank this one).

FYI, next we walked across the street to Pichon Lalande, where the wines were really a big disappointment…at least relative to its neighbor.

April 3 - Private Lunch at Leoville Barton with Anthony Barton and his daughter Lilian

We arrived at Chateau Leoville Barton and Anthony Barton was in the parking area awaiting our arrival. Anthony is the sixth generation of Bartons to oversee the Chateau. In 1826 Hugh Barton, who at the time was already a wine merchant and the proprietor at Chateau Langoa Barton, purchased part of the big Leoville estate. Then in 1855, it was classified a second growth. Anthony took over from his uncle in 1983 and has since improved the vineyard and winemaking. He is a typical ‘English gentleman’ with great sense of humor and an elegant demeanor.

Anthony walked us over to the tasting room where he poured the ’04 and ’05 of Langoa and Leoville Barton. He told us the wines were very ‘classic Medoc’ in style, whereas in ’03 ‘they were more like Napa’. One could say that Anthony is a bit laissez-faire when it comes to winemaking and vineyard management. He lets the terroir do the talking and accepts that each vintage will be different. I like his style.

Next, we walked over to another part of the property for a tasting of several other wines that his daughter Lilian represents in her negociant business. Then, it was time for lunch.

We walked through the gardens and into the chateau where we were greeted with some Champagne – the ’90 Laurent Perrier Grand Siècle. Hors d’oeuvres were passed and I spent some time chatting with Lilian about her negociant business. She said it is a very difficult line of work, as the region of Bordeaux is over producing, and the lower tier wines can be very poor. This reflects upon Bordeaux as a whole and there is a wider and wider gap between the top chateau and ‘the others.’

Anthony and I also exchanged some words in Danish, as his wife is from Denmark. In particular, I asked him if likes “Polse med senap och vitlok,” which is a very common red-colored Danish hot dog that can be bought at kiosks throughout Denmark. He understood and laughed and said, “That’s what we’re having for lunch!”

As it turned out, we had smoked salmon served with an ’00 Pinot Gris from Hugel. Anthony actually served the wine blind, but nobody was able to nail it. Next we had a “homestyle” serving of slow-cooked lamb with potatoes and vegetables. Poured with the main course was the ’90 Leoville Barton. This was also served blind, but proved to be an easier guess as the chateau was fairly obvious. It was just a matter of the vintage and the group settled on the ’89…so, not too bad of a guess. The wine was medium to full-bodied with notes of cedar, sweet fruit, and a touch of spice. Elegant and opulent, with nice, round tannins, I am not sure this wine will get any better with time.

Through lunch, Anthony told great stories. Although he is getting up there in age, he is extremely sharp, as he recounted story after story. Anthony had none of the stiffness or arrogance that you might expect of a famous chateau owner.

Next, we were served the ’86 Leoville Barton and it was beautiful. Strong notes of tobacco leaf, cedar and black fruit. Very unique and certainly different from the ’90, but equally as elegant. A nice cheese tray was passed around the table, followed by a light dessert and cappuccino.

Anthony walked us out to our car along with his 9-year old chocolate lab. Made me miss my own, and wonder if a famous winemaker’s dog would turn his nose to a lowly border/cattle mix from the San Francisco East Bay. Somehow, I think they would have had a good play. Unlike human’s, I bet dog noses are universal. Anthony’s down-to-earth nature was refreshing. He was such a class act. I thoroughly enjoyed being around him and his family.

The rest of the day we had private tastings at seven other chateaux.

April 4 - UGC Tasting

UGC tasting of Margaux, Pauillac, and St. Estephe where we tasted 35+ wines. Private tastings at Pichon Longueville, Pichon Lalande, Ducru Beaucaillou, Branaire Ducru, and Leoville Las Cases (including second labels and associated properties as well as back vintages). Lunch at Pichon Longueville with Christian Seely, Director, and dinner at Leoville Las Cases with Jean-Hubert Dulon, owner. Tasted back vintages of Pichon including, ’04, ’03, ’02, ’01, ’00, and ’89. Also, ’05 Suduiraut as well as ’62 Quinta Noval Nacional. Tasted vintages of Las Cases including ’89, ’85, ’82, ’75, and ‘66 (all out of magnum except for ’66). Shortly I will report full details of the lunch, dinner and a complete list of about 80+ tasting notes.

Tomorrow: Right Bank wines, including Petrus, Ausone, Pavie, etc. Lunch at Cheval Blanc and dinner at Monbousquet with Gerard Perse, owner. UGC tasting at Grave and Sauternes as well as a Private tasting with Christian Mouiex (owner of Petrus) and Pierre Lurton (Director of Cheval Blanc and d’Yquem). Should be very interesting.

Pictures from April 1 through 3 - Details to Follow

April 3 - Quick Update

Private tastings at all first growths (including tastings of their second labels) plus La Mission Haut Brion, Palmer, Langoa Barton, Leoville Barton, Cos d’Estournel, Montrose, Calon Segur, Lynch Bages (and all their second labels as well as other associated labels). Lunch at Leoville Barton with Anthony Barton. Several vintages tasted here. Details to follow along with complete list of about 50+tasting notes.

April 3 - the First Tasting Notes

This is our first day of tasting. There are three of us providing tasting notes: Mike Supple, Matt John, and myself. For now, the notes are somewhat in random order, but they will be organized by region in a couple of days. Our schedules are completely busy everyday from 7am to midnight. For now, I have included some of the notes that we took and there will be many more to follow as soon as we have a moment to transfer them from our hand written notes to the computer. Some of the notes will definitely surprise you…so stay tuned. However, of importance, I can say that this definitely seems to be the year of the second labels. The top Chateau, fairly consistently, produced great to outstanding second labels. With prices looking rather high for the most well known grand vins, I firmly believe the values will be in their second labels. The one thing to hang your hat on in ’05 is the overall quality of the fruit, no matter the varietal. When you have a vintage like this, I recommend going with the properties with the best winemaking teams as well as best locations. Look for second wines from Margaux, Montrose, Mouton, Cos d’Estournel, Latour, Ducru, and Pichon Longueville (Baron but not Lalande) to mention a few (we have only tasted the leftbank as of today, so look for the complete set of tasting notes for other recommendations).

8am – Chateau Haut Brion – Private tasting led by the vineyard manager. A few general notes and observations: Approximately 8,000 vines per hectare in Haut Brion vs 10,000 at La Mission Haut Brion. For the white wines, there was NO botrytis this year in their Sauvignon Blanc grapes. Usually one will find that a third of the grapes are removed but none this year – quite remarkable. The vineyard manager feels that the ‘05s in general had a lot of density, concentration, alcohol, tannin, and acidity. He didn’t feel that the wines were as round as the 2000 vintage which he actually prefers to the 2005. This year they did thin all their plots, including the old vines because of the dry winter. Also of note, the wines will undergo a slight filtration before going into bottle, but at this time they were unfiltered. In all, there were common characteristics in the reds of spice and pepper and most all the wines were showing tannins that were not as round or well integrated as I would have hoped for.

2005 La Chapelle de la Mission Haut-Brion : 30% Merlot, 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 10% Cabernet Franc. This is the second wine of La Mission Haut Brion. A dark and opulent wine with deep purple hues that turn ruby on the rim. Rich caramel, warm chocolate and hints of raspberry on the nose. Palate is tight and chewy with hints of black pepper and heavy toasted oak. The finish is long and spicy but a little light on fruit. 90 Pts - Mike Supple

2005 Chateau Bahans Haut-Brion : 35% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 30% Cabernet Franc. This is the second wine of Haut Brion. Dark red / purple with flecks of violet on the rim. Not a lot on the nose. Tight focus with hints of leeks. Lacks fruit on the palate too. Nice acidity, but a bit low on tannins. 84-86 Pts - Mike Supple

2005 Chateau La Tour Haut-Brion : 32% Merlot, 27% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 41% Cabernet Franc. Dark ruby / purple, thick. Hints of blueberry on the nose followed by vanilla and new, toasty oak. Large tannic structure. Very tight and a bit leathery, yet well balanced. Tart rasberries and cherries on the pallet. 86 Pts - Mike Supple

2005 Chateau La Mission Haut-Brion : 69% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 1% Cabernet Franc. Purple with blue hues on the rim. Fresh red fruit and mint on the nose. Fruit comes up over tannic notes of oak and leather. Some white pepper and sweet spice with hints of tar. Huge juicy tannins on palate. Bright red rasberry. 90-93 Pts - Mike Supple

2005 Chateau Haut-Brion : 56% Merlot, 39% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Cabernet Franc. Dark black purple. So thick, light almost folds into it. Cool blueberry aromas. Not much else at first. Opens to light oak, chocolate and cherry. Smokey leather, tobacco, and tar on the palate. Heavy tannins pulling at my teeth. Dark blackberry and cassis flavors are muted somewhat by heavy oak and green tannic overtones. 92-95 Pts - Mike Supple

2005 Chateau Laville Haut-Brion : 78% Semillon and 22% Sauvignon Blanc. Rich hay gold color. Nose. Wow, very different. Fresh spearmint and green herbs, lemon zest. Soft entry onto the palate. Mint still present with light hints of bubblegum and lemon. Medium crisp finish. Fresh fruit falls a little short. 90 Pts - Mike Supple

2005 Chateau Haut Brion Blanc : 48% Semillon and 52% Sauvignon Blanc. Light gold with flecks of green. Very similar nose to the Laville. Lots of fresh mint and sweet grapefruit. Very crisp and fresh on the palate. Full ruby red grapefruit with lively accidity and a long finish. 92-93 Pts - Mike Supple

9am – Chateau Margaux – Private tasting led by Paul Pontallier, Director of Chateau Margaux. A few general notes and observations: Cabernet did better than Merlot this year. Paul says that the year as a whole was incredibly special – the driest year on record. Only 4 inches of rain between May 1 and the beginning of harvest. The yield is smaller than in ’00 and ‘03…which turns out to be just about the only unfortunate thing about this wine. I must say there was a general buzz in the air at this Chateau and its people were very proud of what they had accomplished.

2004 Chataux Margaux: 78%Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot. Hints of brick in the red color. Aromas of violets and cutt grass. Very floral with underlying red fruits. On palate, cut grass and new oak give way to cherry and black pepper, leather. Full dry tanins are slightly astringent. Loses some of it's balance on the mid palate. Finishes with a hint of creamy chocolate and coffee. 92 Pts - Mike Supple

2005 Chateau Margaux: 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot, and 1% Cabernet Franc. Extremely dark purple. Thick and opulent. Deepest color they've ever had. Rich ripe and full aromas of rasberry cinamon, clove and cucumber with hints of green plumb. Instant chocolate covered cherries on the palate. Very full in the mouth, yet soft and sweet enough tannins to be aproachable. Fresh rasberry and blackberry with enough structure to age beautifully, but I could almost drink it now, due to it's incredible balance. Round, well integrated tannins. Possibly the Best Wine of 2005. 99-100 Pts - Mike Supple

2005 Chateau Margaux Pavillon Rouge: 48% Cabernet Sauvgnon, 48% Merlot, and 4% Petit Verdot. Thick glass coating of purple / red. Rich Bing cherry, chocolate, coffee, rasberry, hints of sour cherry and spice on the nose. Big, big tannins are pulling at the back of my tongue and throat. Dense, lush and full. New oak, rasberry and bitter chocolate on the palate. 93-94 Pts - Mike Supple

2005 Leoville Barton: Extremely dark, thick, inky purple color. Cassis and black fruit. Notes of coffee, chocolate as well as a slight perfume of roses and eucalyptus. Huge, ripe, juicy tannins, this is a very balanced wine with a nice, very long finish. Not overdone. 95-98 Pts - Shaun Bishop

2005 Calon Segur: 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Cabernet Franc. Fresh black berries and cassis. Very powerful and complex wine also showing notes of cocoa. The possible drawback here are the very high and somewhat harsh tannins. This one will need time…maybe 10 years before you touch it. Nevertheless, overall this was a delicious wine. 90-92 Pts - Shaun Bishop

2005 La Dame de Montrose: This is the second wine of Chateau Montrose. 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 46% Merlot. Dark purple color. Fresh dark fruits. Very good structure for a second wine. Notes of cherries and spice. Lots of lively but not obtrusive tannins. Very long, lingering smokey plum finish. Should be a great value. 90-92 Pts - Shaun Bishop

2005 Montrose: 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 3.5% Cabernet Franc, and 0.5% Petit Verdot. Black/purple in color. Aromas of perfume, violets, and lavender. Very complex wine with a long aftertaste. Cassis and vanilla on the palate. The tannins are abundant and sharp, so be forewarned, this will need some time but will probably last for 50 years. Nevertheless, a great wine that merits your attention that appears to be one of the top wines in St Estephe. 95-97 Pts - Shaun Bishop

2005 Les Pagodes de Cos: 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 50% Merlot. Readers need to take note of this wine – the second wine of Cos d’Estournel. Aromas of cassis, tobacco and coffee – even a touch of cinnamon. Flavors of gamey meat and white pepper. Very unique…in a good way. Aged in 40% new barrels. Very nice tannic structure. This is an outstanding wine that will be well worth your money and should be purchased without a second thought. 93-96 Pts - Shaun Bishop

April 2 - First Day in Bordeaux

We arrived in Bordeaux at 5:15 p.m. and went straight to our hotel, the Burdigala. Not sure why this hotel came recommended, but quite frankly, it’s nothing more than an upscale Motel 6. The view from our window is of a ‘lovely’ old alley surrounded by rundown buildings and wet laundry lines strung across balconies. Occasional flower boxes to give it a bit of charm…but truly a far cry from our terrific hotel in Paris.

At 8 p.m. we had our first dinner with the trade at a quaint restaurant on the river Gironde called l’Estacade…actually more of a glass fisherman’s hut built on the wharf, with a beautiful view of the city. The dinner was hosted by Diageo Chateau and Estates, a leading importer of classified Bordeaux into the US. For a list of their imports, click here.

We were joined by the Sherry Lehman contingency, including Michael Aaron, its Chairman. Together, Michael and I talked about the ’05 campaign and shared some thoughts, concerns and excitement. Across from me sat Guy, from Chateau and Estates. Guy and his wife Marie (on my left) own a small chateau in Bordeaux and Marie is winemaker. He handles a lot of the sourcing of various wines from Bordeaux for Chateau and Estates and told me that he believes there are approximately 300,000 unsold cases of wines at the top Chateau’s from back vintages. Obviously we hope to tap into that inventory and bring them to you. In addition we were joined by Jim Smith and Mark Levin from Southern Wine & Spirits who carry the Diageo wines. Jim, the Import Manager, truly knows his Bordeaux and does a terrific job.

Of interest, but certainly not news, Guy confirmed that he is seeing a lot better management of the vineyards in Bordeaux. This includes the curtailing of yields by aggressive pruning, crop thinning and leaf-pulling to encourage proper airflow and sun exposure to the grapes. Of course, many of the top Chateau’s can afford to pay their people to carefully maintain their vineyards using these techniques. However, a lot of training and oversight is required to ensure that all the day laborers working the vineyards use the same care as the vineyard manger would. Guy said that even too much dust from the workers and tractors in the vineyard can lead to damaged grapes – the grains of sand that land on the grape can reflect too much sun in hot summer and ‘kill’ the grape.

He also said that yields can be as much as a fourth what they were only 20 years ago and that overall the vineyards are healthier and the grapes are smaller, albeit much higher in quality. Separately, he spoke about the importance of terroir and what makes Bordeaux so special. Many of the vines on the hillside have roots going down 13 meters, or 40 feet! They are truly reaching for those special minerals and other goodies unique to the soil of Bordeaux that help give those grape vines their unique characteristics that can only be found in this special place. Compare this to some vineyards in say South America that are watered regularly. How hard do you think the roots of the vines have to fight to reach the water and nutrients? Not quite the same is it?

Someone did bring up the question “so where will the first growth wines be priced en primeur?” Interestingly enough nobody cared to venture a guess! It really seems like there is a general nervousness in regards to the pricing of the ’05 futures. If I had to speculate I would say that the top Chateaus will most likely release their first tranche at fairly reasonable prices and then they will release the following tranches at much higher prices. That way the Chateau can say “hey, we told you the prices would be fair!” What they don’t say is that they only give you a miniscule amount of wine at first tranche and the bulk at much higher prices. We will keep informed so that we can react in a prudent manner.

For the gourmands out there, here was our dinner:

First course: Mullet tartare with light cream and trout eggs. Delicious. Much like a tuna tartar back in the U.S., but with a softer texture; very distinctive. The trout eggs were a bit salty and added another dimension to the dish. The dish was accompanied by an ’04 white from Graves.

Next was the main course: Baked sea-bass with beurre blanc sauce and polenta. The fresh fish was outstanding aside from the occasional bone. Wine was the ’02 Haut Bailly, which was quite nice, with soft tannins, good structure and a bit of dark fruit and toasty oak. Great wine…unfortunately not a great match with the fish. Of note, Parker has been giving great scores to this property since 2000. He says “This is an estate to watch now that American banking kingpin, Robert Wilmers, has turned loose a brilliant team that includes the ‘retired’ Jean-Bernard Delmas of Haut-Brion as a consultant…” Even in 2004, Parker gave the wine 91-93 points – not bad for a $35 bottle of wine.

The main course was followed by a selection of fromage and then a dessert that was quite interesting – Trio of crèmes brulees: Szechuan pepper, Espelette pepper, and chocolate. I have had many types of crème brulee but never with Szechuan pepper! Believe it or not, it was great. The Espelette tasted more like thyme and was a bit overpowering. This was served with a NV Krug Grand Cuvee, unique Champagne with style – very toasty yet lots of minerals, and a bit dark in color (could have been an older example).

Tomorrow I have private appointments at all the first growths, as well as a few others with my friends from the largest independent importer of Bordeaux into the U.S., Wine Warehouse, represented by Rob and Don - both veterans of these tastings. Don has come every year since 1977 and is very well respected in all of Bordeaux. Lunch is scheduled at Leoville Barton. Then I have a dinner with the proprietors of Picque Caillou along with Geoff, the Import Manager and Director of Education for Young’s Market, another large importer and distributor of wines and spirits in the U.S. I will report my findings upon my return to this lovely hotel room. Now it’s 2am and my first appointment is at 8am at Haut Brion so I think it’s time to turn out the lights. Bon nuit!

April 1 - A Night in Paris

After Jon’s 45 minute nap turned into 4 hours, we still had 6 hours before our monumental dinner at l’Amis Louis. So we decided to head out, grab a snack and explore the town.

We sat down at the touristy Café Georges on the Champs Elysee with a view of the l’Arc de Triumph. A Carlsberg beer, a cheese tray, and sugar crepes were just enough to hold us over. It’s funny, but we were surrounded by cigarette smoke and it didn’t bother me one bit. I’m not a smoker and generally don’t ‘appreciate’ the burnt smells of tobacco with my food, but hey this is France and it was just fine!

The next 4 hours we walked…and walked…and walked. From the l’Arc de Triumph we walked west down the Champs Elysee and took a right on Eisenhower, past a gorgeous museum and then along the river Seine. And there it was…the Eiffel Tower, poking up above the city scape. I’ve seen it several times before, but it still took my breath away.

We continued our stroll along the river, past the young lovers, artists, and je ne sais quoi …past the Place de la Concorde and across the Seine to the St Germaine district. You know…I took in a lot of scenery on this walk…and no matter which arrondissement we were in…the French women are simply beautiful. They all seemed to have such grace and sense of style.

We caught a taxi back to the hotel, so we could make dinner on time, but what an ordeal…just as impossible as San Francisco…and nothing like Manhattan…anyhow, after 50 taxis passed us by, one reluctant driver finally picked us up.

Now for the dinner!

We took a taxi to l’Amis Louis in the 3^rd Arrondissement. There it was…a tiny old bistro down a non-distinct, narrow alley of a road. Louis himself (actually Louis is the grandson of the bistro’s 1920’s founder) was outside with a few guests having a chat and a smoke. I knew immediately that we would be in good hands at this establishment. Louis definitely looked like a restaurateur who enjoyed nothing more than eating his own cooking!

We were seated at the back, by the kitchen and next to a heaping pile of fresh fruit, which on first glance, looked like cliché plastic fruit decor, but on closer investigation proved real and ultimately part of our meal. Fresh mangoes, papaya, berries, kiwis, pineapple, grapes, and lots more – not what I expected in a bistro known for its caloric cooking – but made perfect sense: what better way to end the meal than with some fresh fruit, rather than a heavy chocolate cake.

We hesitated at the sight of Texas-sized portions of cote de boeuf and pommes frites coming from the kitchen, but having reserved plenty of appetite for the soon to be epic meal, decided to throw caution to the wind and order away. We started with the escargots – nine huge snails in some serious garlic and butter. We debated, but decided against the gargantuan (foot long, two inch thick) asparagus with aged balsamic – in part due to the price – 56 euros or $68! We did have the roasted chicken for two (at 60 euros per person) followed by the baby lamb (at 70 euros). We also decided that the heaping stack of pommes frites was not enough so we also ordered the potato cake (topped with raw garlic and parsely and cooked in goose fat).

I took a long look at the wine list and cruised right past the wonderful, but extremely pricey list of Bordeaux wines. This was a meal fit for a Rhone and we decided to go with the ’01 Chave Hermitage. WOW! The combination was unbelievable. The wine stood up the chicken, the 8-week old piece of lamb and all that goose fat with ease. As expected, it was a little tight upon the first sip, but after a short while it opened up beautifully and was very well balanced, full bodied and peppery with lots of raspberry and blackberry. Just a perfect match of wine and food in an ‘old-school’ bistro shared with my great friend Jon.

For dessert we decided on the fresh berries and cream along with a Ramos Pinto 10 year old Tawny. Simple, but nice: lots of toffee, nuts and a medium body – and frankly all we could handle at this point.

We were among the last guests to leave the restaurant so the waiters were all but done serving. Now one of them poured the last of a magnum of Margaux (couldn’t see the vintage…although that was of no importance to him) and helped himself to some of the lamb and chicken that the chefs had set aside. He had surely done this before…but he looked just as excited as we were when we first tasted our meal. Then the rest of them joined in…even Louis himself…carefully tearing off the meat with his left hand.

At one point in the night, Louis told us that Francis Ford Coppola was at our very same table, just two nights prior. Louis himself is a big fan of Francis and as evidence carries his ’96 Rubicon (only 400 euros!) as just one of two total Napa selections on his wine list.

OK…a cappuccino later and we were on our way back to the hotel.

April 1st - the Flight Over

This morning I arrived in Paris where I’ll spend one night before catching the train to Bordeaux. The Air France flight was great, as I decided to splurge (using miles of course) and fly in business class. The French crew was terrific and served up one heck of meal:

Hors d’oeuvre: Assortment of seafood featuring shrimp and smoked salmon accompanied by crudités – served with a glass of 2000 Mailly Grand Cru Cuvee le Feu Champagne. Not bad…fairly delicate but decent power that is typical in Pinot Noir based Champagnes.

Main course: Grilled tournedos of beef served with potatoes au gratin with wild mushrooms and buttered French green beans – served with a glass…or two of a red Bordeaux from the Medoc, 2003 Chateau de Saint Christoly. Mostly Cab with some Merlot…really not a shabby wine…fruity, yes, but some finesse and body to go with it…beats the heck out most other reds I have been served on a plane.

Next came a selection of three cheeses. Unfortunately, or fortunately, I did not get the names of the cheeses…but they were actually a bit disappointing. The blue cheese, which was certainly not from Roquefort, was almost tasteless. Well presented though…

By the time dessert came around I was fast asleep, dreaming away about the days ahead.

I am now sitting at my hotel, La Tremoille, a few blocks of the Champs Elysee in the 8^th arrondissement. My WineCommune collegue, Jon, is snoring away, as his trip was a bit more of a drag…he flew coach…in the middle seat…poor guy.

At 10:30 tonight we’ll be eating at l’Amis Louis on the recommendation of my friend Mark. It’s an old bistro famous for its roast chicken, fois gras and potato cakes. Report to follow…

In the meantime, here are some random thoughts and questions that I will be looking to find answers to in the coming week:

Will the ’05 Bordeaux wines be worth the money? Little question about the quality of the vintage…that much is clear just reading the comments from James Suckling and Robert Parker. The hype and the demand are already taking shape and it’s unprecedented in size. There will be something like 5000 representatives of the trade in Bordeaux this week.

Then there’s the US dollar which is hovering around 1.2 euros - considered relatively weak, although stronger than the past 3 vintages, but much weaker than when the 2000 vintage was offered en primeur. Of course, a weak dollar means higher prices for US customers. However, many consider the US Federal Reserve to be nearing the end of the tightening cycle (perhaps just one more raise of interest rates this year) while the European banks are considered to be in the early stages of their tightening. This might mean that the dollar could potentially get slightly weaker versus the Euro if that scenario unfolds. In that case, Bordeaux wines will be even more expensive, so buying the ’05 futures now may prove to be prudent.

If prices turn out to be high for the ‘05s, will a 100 point wine from 2005 be a better value than a 100 point wine from a previous vintage, say 1990, 1996, or 2000? Is it a fair comparison? Will previous vintages go up in price or will there remain a price gap? Time will tell, but ultimately it’s all about demand and supply.

Obviously we will be purchasing all of the top growths, but the real question is going to be more about finding the properties that will provide the most value in a vintage that is high in quality, price, and demand. In addition, we will be meeting and negotiating with key people in order to secure the absolute best pricing. At the end of the day, we’ll be buying around 150-200 different wines (of the 4-500 or so that we’ll be tasting this week)…we’re going to have some choices. This is why we’re here: taste the wines and talk to the people involved in every part of the process – from chateau owners to winemakers to negociants to distributors. In the coming weeks, we will put together a report of the all the wines that we will be purchasing in order to hopefully make your buying decision a bit easier.

Allright…I think it’s time wake up Jon. Can’t spend our only day in Paris cooped up in the hotel room…